Hello bloggers.  Yeah it's me again after a long time away.

Anyway, my thoughts today are going to be very pointed and political.

I am a Libertarian.  In simple terms (I like to break things down into simple terms) this means that I believe that as human beings we have the right to self-governance.  A democracy based on the original ideas as laid out in our Constitution by the founders.  A small government that pushes responsibility down to the most direct levels.  That our Federal government should only be large enough to keep the States playing together in the sandbox and provide for a common defense.  The government's role should be only to ensure that our civil rights are not violated.  If I'm not hurting anyone, or violating someone elses right to life, liberty and property, leave me alone.

Every life on the planet in many ways is defined by the civil rights granted by the people of that country.  The countries with dictators gave those dictators the ability to tell other people what their rights are.

Our Government stands because we,as Americans, give it permission to represent us.  We should not be afraid of our government nor should we allow it to act in our name without our permission.

We are faced with choices everyday.  One of those choices is to sit idle and not make our voices heard.  Not making a decision is a decision itself.

Many say that there are only two political choices, the Red Pill or the Blue Pill.  One path leads you to NeverLand the other down a Rat Hole.  However there is another option.  If you believe that we live in a country By the People, for the People, and of the People check out the Libertarian Party as another option.

www.lp.org

This was another great weekend. We went to Aberdeen and spent Saturday with some of the best people on the planet. (With Roast and Mixed drinks like we were given, how could they not be???)

Today, synchronicity appeared and led in some great decisions.  We dropped our youngest boy off at the pool, and on the way back DW and I had one of our usual "What do you want for lunch?" conversations.  This time, after all of the deductions and "I don't know, I'm hungry" kind of discussion points we decided to go to a little Filipino restaraunt. I love lumpia and Pancit.

Anyway, attached to a refrigerator door in the restaraunt (it was one of those little hole in the wall places that you really love to eat at, but the ambiance is alway in "cant afford much ambiance") was a sign for a Jeet Kune Do school.  For those of you who don't know me, I've been a martial artist for years.  But Jeet Kune Do is what I've been looking for.  I had studied it for about 6 months while I was on the ship. (JKD is the style that Bruce Lee was starting to develop when he died.  It is an integrated fighting philosophy that embraces many styles and art forms.  This fits my personality so well it is amazing).  So I'm Jazzed.  I have Lumpia and Pancit in my gut, and a lead on my passion.

Then when we go to pick the boy back up, DW finds a flier for Bellydancing Classes.  Something she has been wanting to do for years.  There is an Ice Skating Rink next door to the Pool, (another one of my loves.  Not very good at it, but like to do it.)

The greatest synchronicity in all of this is that we had almost forgotten to take the boy to the birthday party at the pool, and I normally just let DW take the boy to the parties.  All in all it was one of those great days that you go to sleep and say "Today was meant to be".

- The Rev

Our eldest son (8 years old) was running around the house the other day with a pencil between his legs.

"Put that pencil down," I tell him, "you'll pop one of your balls."

"I will not," he tells me lookin like I'm the stupidest guy on the planet.

"I would like some grandchildren someday, you know," his mom says shaking her head.

"What do balls have to do with making children?"

Jaws drop...

The wife and I look at each other.

"I'll handle this," I say as I take him upstairs to tell him the facts of life.

I will never forget the giggles on his face when I mention the penis going into the vagina.  Also, being the scientific type he asks how that makes the babies.

Well, the amusement turns to utter disgust when he hears about sperm coming out of the penis and hitting an egg.

"That's yucky," he says. 

 The day will come too soon, when that isnt so yucky anymore.  Hopefully it will still be years.

***AM your recent stories of DB inspired me to write this***

I went to see a Concert for my daughters school orchestra last night.  It was an awesome experience.  There were 30 junior high school students playing what (to me) were pretty complex arrangements, and actually playing together instead of as 30 individuals.

My daughter has been begging to play the violin for several years, but it was only a few months ago that we decided to let her play.  Since then, her passion for it has amazed me.  In just 3 months she is to the point where she is playing in the same orchestra as the kids who have been playing for years. 

She is not very commital about most things, but is very adamant that she loves the Violin, and loves the Orchestra.  I'm glad to see this come out in her.

I'm so proud of her, and happy to see that she has found a passion that is not barbies, or clothes, or any of the other prepackaged, preprocessed passions they dish out on TV.

Anyway, off to work.  Make a great day.

- The Rev

This is one of the most moving quotes. It is by Marianne Williamson, and quoted by Nelson Mandela in a speech in 1994.  The bolds are my own.

[Quoted by Nelson Mandela in a speech in 1994 and often attributed to him. The source is Return to Love by Marianne Williamson, Harper Collins, 1992. -Peter McLaughlin]